Today the ship docked in Mohacs where we disembarked to drive to Pezs (pronounced peach) which is the 5th largest city in Hungary with 100,000 people. Around 1100 years ago the Hungarians established themselves in the area. Because of its location Pezs escaped most of both world wars.
Our first stop was at St. Peter and Paul Basilica. It’s 1000 years old with several renovations through the years. It started as a Catholic Church, was turned into a mosque during the Ottoman rule, and converted back into a church. All the walls are painted (not papered).
Our guide was excited to take us into the crypt under the chapel. There was no evidence of burials under the floor but over 50 persons are buried here. It is the largest in Hungary. The arched ceilings create beautiful acoustics which was demonstrated when our guide sang Ave Maria for us and then had us sing Amazing Grace. I had tears in my eyes.
We walked thru the square to view another burial place, the Cella Septichora, a pre-4th century cemetery or Roman catacombs with 3,000 discovered sites. The walls under the chapel show signs of Roman and Greek builders.
Along the way to the Jewish Synagogue we passed the University, County Hall with its colorful roof, and another church/mosque. The synagogue’s clock shows the local time and the time in Jerusalem. During WWII 3,000 Jews were deported. Today only 200 live in Pezs.
Our arrival in Budapest means we say goodbye to our current friends and look forward to meeting new friends on the next leg of our journey.
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